Ok, this isn't about drinking... but I'm attempting to quit smoking... yesterday I got cash from hubby because I was desperate to get cigs, it was the last of our cash. Our checking account is overdrawn... he told me not to put anything on the credit card, we were about $10 away from hitting our limit. So today I had the 2 cigs I stashed away yesterday... was extremely pathetic smoking cigarette butts... finally used the credit card and bought a buy one get one free deal, so I got 2 packs. I have no self-control whatsoever when it comes to smoking, same as with drinking. But now these are the last 2 packs because now we literally have no money to spend until Friday... and if I can make it tomorrow thru Friday without cigs I know they'll taste bad and I'll just have to tell myself there's no point in starting again. We'll save just over $200/month with both of us quitting. And my asthma's so bad with how much I smoke. And problem is, I can't even just cut back, that's as hard to me as totally quitting, that lack of self control, if they're there, I'll smoke 'em. Just like if there's alcohol here, I"ll drink it.
I'm praying for self-control and self-discipline. I kinda have to deal wiht it now that we don't have any money though. So I don't have any choice. I'm gonna have to cut out my morning coffee because that's when I smoke the most, coffee and cigs just go together, can't have coffee without cigs, give it about a week of quitting and maybe I'll be ok with it. Need to cut out the caffiene anyway because I've been having kidney pains I think. Ugh... I hate this. I'm really not ready to quit yet but I don't have much choice, and I've gotta quit someday, right?
Hi Lisa. Just wanted to share a bit of my ES&H on quitting smoking.......I quit 2 months ago tomorrow, but if I had one I'd probably smoke it right now! Here's what helps me; I continue to remind myself that I smell better, I look better, I breathe better in this short amount of time and OMG! food tastes soooo friggin' good, I'm not chained to a cigarette & I'm saving so much money....... Nic cravings go away as fast as they come, if you don't give in. My biggest problems with quitting was coffee in the morning, so I switched to tea which is actually cheaper too, what to do with my hands, so I rounded up a bunch of drinking straws & chew on them when the craving hits, looks weird but who cares. I recite the serenity prayer a LOT and meditate. I have gained a couple pounds but I'll worry about that later.............Keep trying.......remember it took a while to learn to smoke, so it will take a while to unlearn it.
Hang in there, girl. You can do it!
Love and hugs!
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
A big congratulations on quitting smoking for two months! That's great. I must admit, that it is on my personal 'hit list', too. Thanks for the inspiration and the tips.
Take care,
Carol
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
Oh, gosh smoking. Some months ago I got those lobelia patches, and they worked so well to take the edge off. But the physical reaching out, etc. just drove me nuts, tried the straws, tried to chew on stuff, and I finally caved. Got down to about three cigs a day, and did that for several weeks. That is when I should have just quit, but nooooooooo. So gonna try again. I think this time I'll sit behind a sewing machine and see how many quilts I can knock out while withdrawing. So if you hear a machine in the middle of the night......hubby's a non-smoker, so that helps alot. Kinda. Until he gives me "that" look, LOL...I agree with everyone else, Lisa, say that Serenity Prayer. love, Chris
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Congratulations Doll. I had quit for a year and then when I has started drinking again..... well, what goes better with being drunk then a smoke. Anyways, Lisa do you have health ins? can you get Zyban(aka Wellbutrin, aka bupropion)? that's what helped me quit the first time. I just started taking it again and hope to quit in two weeks (thats my target date anyways). I can't even smoke a whole one, just a puff or two then my fix is over with.
Good Lucy to you LisaF. I understand the no control feeling for smoking as well. I keep putting off quitting because of the "holding on" to something that gives me relief, as did drinking. It took me 10 years of telling myself I will stop drinking "tomorrow" until I finally did "stop" drinking.
It has become an obsession, the cigarettes, just like the obsession with alcohol, plus the nicotine addiction is so strong. Anyway, I want to quit delaying my quitting smoking.
I too take welbutrin at this point, and I am down to 6 cigarettes a day. I have heard that while taking welbutrin/bupropion, one should not smoke while on it for long due to it can lead to deep depression. I only recently heard this and not from a doctor, but I have googled this and found this information.
Ok, this isn't about drinking... but I'm attempting to quit smoking... yesterday I got cash from hubby because I was desperate to get cigs, it was the last of our cash. Our checking account is overdrawn... he told me not to put anything on the credit card, we were about $10 away from hitting our limit. So today I had the 2 cigs I stashed away yesterday... was extremely pathetic smoking cigarette butts... finally used the credit card and bought a buy one get one free deal, so I got 2 packs. I have no self-control whatsoever when it comes to smoking, same as with drinking. But now these are the last 2 packs because now we literally have no money to spend until Friday... and if I can make it tomorrow thru Friday without cigs I know they'll taste bad and I'll just have to tell myself there's no point in starting again. We'll save just over $200/month with both of us quitting. And my asthma's so bad with how much I smoke. And problem is, I can't even just cut back, that's as hard to me as totally quitting, that lack of self control, if they're there, I'll smoke 'em. Just like if there's alcohol here, I"ll drink it. I'm praying for self-control and self-discipline. I kinda have to deal wiht it now that we don't have any money though. So I don't have any choice. I'm gonna have to cut out my morning coffee because that's when I smoke the most, coffee and cigs just go together, can't have coffee without cigs, give it about a week of quitting and maybe I'll be ok with it. Need to cut out the caffiene anyway because I've been having kidney pains I think. Ugh... I hate this. I'm really not ready to quit yet but I don't have much choice, and I've gotta quit someday, right?
Sounds alot like step one. I don't know of anyone that came into this program before they had to, the fun was gone, the disease was killing us in all ways. Apply the same to your smoking as your using. And work it one day at a time. When I first came into this program looking into the future of sobriety was too much. And I am also a former smoker. Lucky Strikes were my favorite. At one time I was at 4 packs a day I haven't smoked now in nearly 20 years - one day at a time.
I'm with Dan on this. I quit smoking at about 20 years sober and went into three years of hell. I didn't realise until I met a fellow member with the same experience that it was smoking related. Looking back I don't think I was properly sober until I quit the smokes. I had no idea they were such a pysychological prop, my way of dealing with stress and anger, and when I took it away there was hell to pay, it was like going back to early sobriety in many ways, right back to step one. Apply the program Lisa, and when it gets rough, pray and throw yourself into helping others. That worked for me even though I did not initially realise what the cause of my discomfort was.
